Car-fender.



No. @68,l53. y Patented Feb. I9, 190|. P. BEST.

CAB FENDER.

(Application filed Dec. 11, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITN ESSES: INVENTOlal ATTORN EYS YH: wams mins co, Hom-Uma., wnmcron, n. c.

lm. www Patented Feb.` I9, mol.

P. BEST.

I GAR FENDER.

(Application filed. Dec. 11, 1399*) (No Windel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES. A "ik -lNVENTOR:

BY /AmR/NEYS,

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iE'lEBL BEST, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

@Amalfi-NDFR Slllilttiliilh formingpart of Letters Patent No. 668,153, dated February 19, 1901.

Application filed December ll, 1899. Serial No. 739,932. (No model.)

To @ZZ iol/,om t 'may concern/.-

Be it known that l, PETER BEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lmprovemen ts in Car-Fenders; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refcrence being had to the accompanying drawings, and tolettcrs of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of canfenders represented by the one shown in my prior patent, dated June 2, i896, No. 561,155, one object of the present imiin'ovements being to secure the advantages involved in the construction shown in said prior patent and at the same time avoid the disadvantages d ne to having certain of the cooperating parts permanently attached tothe caru the present. improvements being, in connection with the detachable frame, adapted to be transferred Vfrom one end of the car to the other.

Other objects are to secure a more perfect operation of the device and to more perfectly guard against injury to the person or thing obstructing the way of the car, to reduce the cost of cimstruction, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description oi the working' parts.

The invention consists in the improved carfender and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will bc hereinafter set forth and linally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure lis a side elevation ot" a portion of a car to which my improved fender has been applied. 2 is a side view of the said fender on an enlarged scale, showing it in the position assumed automatically when struck by the person obstructing the progress of the car. 3 is a plan in detail of a lower fender-section on which the person may lie when thrown by the trippeiz Fig. Li is a detail pian of an upper fendensection, against which the person is thrown when tripped; and Fig. 5 is a plan ofa certainsupplemental guard adapted to lie beneath the fender in connection with the main fendenframe. Fig. G is a rear elevation of the fender. Fig. 7 is a section of the same on line x. Fig. 8 is a detail side view showing the forward head of a certain lever, and Fig. 9 is a detail side View of a bracket or support for the fender.

In said drawings, a indicates a car to which my improved fender may be separably attached, said car being provided at the front thereof with brackets b, upon whichthe said fender may be suspended or supported. Said brackets are provided with notches Fig. 9, adapted to receive certain cross-bars d of the frame of the fender, into which notches the said crossbars will lie and be held by the weight ofthe fender or be secured in any othersuitable manner by positive fas tening means, such as the catch-leverbg, Fig. 9, consisting of a piece of spring metal pivoted at b3 and adapted to lie across the openings to the notches h and at its upper end to engage a catch projection h1, and thus beheld in locking position. I prefer the notched brackets devoid of positive fastenings, be cause of the ease with which the fender may be removed from the car due to such construe tion.

The main frame of the fender consists of connected sectional side bars or pieces, of which the sections c c are adapted to lie in a position more or less closely approaching a vertical plane parallel with the front of the platform. The horizontal connccting-bars (Z (l connect said side sections and are rigidly and adjustably attached to the said sections by means of sleeves d, fastened to the opposite ends of said bars d and adapted to slide on said sections. Said sleeves may be rigidly fastened by means of set-screws d2.

At the upper ends of the sections c c are adjustable collars e e, adapted to be set in the proper adjustment by set-screws e e and having pivotal bearings e2 for an upper guard or folding :frame f. Said upper fendingframef is hinged upon the sections c cat their upper ends and extend downward at a forward inclination to receive a lower tendingframe g. Said upper fendingframe coinprises side barsff and upper and lower con- IOO necting-,bars f2 f2 and is provided at its upper opposite corners with pivotal bearings to engage those of the vertical rear frame e. At

the lower opposite corners of the upper fender-frame, preferably on the side bars f'f, are hinge-bearings for the lower fender-sections, the hinge-pins f3 being disposed forward of the lines of the side barsf, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, for a purpose hereinafter specified. Upon the fending-frame are suitable springs, netting, or the like 72, upon which the person may fall without injury.

At the lowerends of the sections c the same are provided with hinge-bearings c/ and stopbearings c2, and upon the said hinge-bearings c are pivoted the lower braces h h, which are normally held in a forwardly and downwardly inclined position, as in Fig. 7, by said stopbearings c2, but are permitted to turn pivotally upward to the position shown in Fig. 2.

At their forward extremities the bra-ces t' t' are pivotally connected to or near to the tripping end of the lower fending-frame g. Said braces il may be in pivoted or hinged sections t" 11, the hinge-joint 2 only permitting an upward movement at the front from the normal posit-ion. This hinge-joint then breaks slightly when the fender collapses, as shown in Fig. 2, the rear section ol being in a substantially horizontal position. y In further folding of the fender to tip the'front lower frame g up against the upper rear frame f, bending of the bracesz' takes place upon the jointt?, whereby space is provided between the said braces in their upright position and the parts c for the folded tending-frames to lie.

The lower fending-frame g comprises side sections g g/ and upper and lower or front and real-sections g2 g2, covered by netting g3 or the like, said netting being fastened upon the frameg directly or upon a supplemental frame g4, detachable from the frame g. The parts c if g/ at each side of the fender form in side elevation approximately triangular frames, and these are so constructed and disposed in relation to one another as to permit the automatic collapsing operations hereinafter described.

When the braces t i are pressed or forced down to their lower limits of movement, the framesfg where they connect with one another will be raised, and said frames will lie approximately in alinement, substantially as shown in Figs. l and 7. Should the frames fg at their connections f3 be pressed backward and downward, as by a body falling against the same as the car and fender Vmove forward, the braces t t' and the forward bumping or tripping end or edge of the fender will be forced upward, the said bumping or tripping edge g5 forming a guard adapted to prevent the body from rolling forward and olf from the fender. The frames g, with their nettings or springs h, then form a pocket in which the body will safely lie. The bumping or tripping forward edge of the lower fending-frame is cushioned to prevent injury in any usual manner.

To cause the frame g and connections to act quickly to catch -the falling body and also to normally hold the framesf g in their normal positions of Figs. l and 7, I have provided springsjj, which are attached to the upper end of the frame f at the opposite sides thereof, and to or near to the lower or forward end of the lower fending-frame r at the opposite sides thereof. Said springs are normally under tension, and thus when the framesf g are thrown backward by the falling body said springs will act upon the frame g to raise its forward edge. When thus acting, said springs assume the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and serve as side guards to preventthe body from falling outward from the sides of the fender and will also cushion the fall to some extent should the body fall thereon.

The springsjjl when the parts are in their normal positions lie a little back of the hinge centers f3, Fig. 7, so that said springs then serve to hold said parts in said normal positions.'

To automatically hold the fender in its collapsed position after receiving the body, l have provided sliding catches k, which are pivoted or otherwise loosely attached to one of the frames f g at or near the joint therebetween and extend backward from said frames into engagement with suitable pins or coperating catch projections Z. The sliding catches on their under edges are provided with series of saw-tooth notches m m, to receive the said cooperating catches Z, the walls of said notches being so formed as to permit the back sliding of the catches 7c, but prevent their forward sliding, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. l,` 2, and 7. The free ends of the sliding catches are held down upon the cooperating catches, preferably by gravity alone. To raise said catches from holding engagement, I have provided a handlever n, comprising a rod extending from side to side of one of the frainesfg and having a crank-like-handle 'it' at one end and having arms n2, extending into loose connection with the sliding catches 7c ata little distance from the pivotal ends thereof. The free ends of the sliding catches may be held in operative relation to the coperating catches by guides or stays o. Thus by turning the handled end ofthe lever the arms n2 will act to raise the sliding catches away from the cooperating catches, and the joined frames and connections may be brought to their normal positions.

To enable the fender to be raised to avoid a stone or like obstruction on the track or way of the car, l have made the bracket b in sections pivotally connected, and have provided a lever p, Fig. 8, pivoted upon a connecting-piece q, Fig. 6, attached to the connecting-rods d d. Said lever p has a bearing on one of said rods and extends to a position IOO IIO

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`where it may be conveniently operated by the motorman, either by his foot or otherwise, to canse a pivotal action of the fender on its bracket-pivots to raise the front of the fender where the bracket-sections are pivoted. The same may be provided with a collection of bolt-holes q, so that the forward section may be raised or lowered or brought a little more tothe front or rear with relation to its pivotor bolt.

The brackets Z) are preferably detachable from the car and may be raised or lowered with respect to said car, as will be understood upon reference to Figs. 7 and 9, where 9" indicates one of a pair of hangers having boltholes. vr' represents the section of one of the brackets,having an open slot/r'E and a notched under edge r3, a stay-plate adjustably bolted to said hanger, the bolt-holes therein coinciding with certain of the bolt-holes of the hanger, so that the plate may be fastened at various points of elevation on said hanger, and r4 indica-tes an adjustable supporting pin or bolt on which the lower notched edge of the bracket rests and is prevented from sliding by the notches. The upper arm of the section fr' enters between the bolts fr of the Astay-plate r3, one of said bolts entering the slot r2, so that said bracket is prevented from moving vertically, but may be drawn away from the hanger with convenience and ease.

To the side sections or bars f j" are attached the upwardly-extending arms s S of a supplemental fender t, adapted to cooperate in preventing serious damage to the person in event of the upper or main fender-frames fg failing to catch the body. The supplemental fender consists of a curved plate or frame, at the upper edge of which, at the end thereof, are arranged the said arms s s, which are provided at the upper ends with integral sockets s', adapted to receive the side bars f' of the upper or main fender, the said sockets s' being adjustable in relation to the side bars to permit the supplemental fender to be lowered or raised toward or from the ground, the inclined side bars f' oi' the upper frame serving as guide-rails for the said part-s. At the opposite side of the said fender l may provide guards u made of parallel pivota]ly-connected strips. These are adapted to prevent small children from carelessly running under the fender.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim as new isl. rlhe improved car-tender comprising a collection of hinged or 1. i\\otallyconnected frames having in side elevation a triangular relation, the upper and forward members lying normally at an inclination and being hinged together and adapted to collapse when pressed backward and downward by a talling body, a notched catch loosely connected to one of the inclined collapsible frames and having its free end extend inward toward the back of the fender, whereby when said inclined members collapse, the said catch will not project forward therefrom, and be thus liable to injure the person, and a cooperating catch adapted to permit a backward movement of the collapsible frames and prevent a forward movement, substantially as set forth.

2. The improved car-fender, comprising a frame c, d, adapted to be secured to the car and detached therefrom, a frame f, hinged to said frame c, d, at the top of the latter, a frame g, hinged to the frame f, and providing a cushioned tripping or bumping edge at the front, braces hinged to the frame c, d, and to the frame r, near its forward bumping edge and a notched catch pivoted to one of the frames c, d, and extending backward therefrom and adapted to prevent an automatic return of the collapsed parts, substantially as set forth.

3. A car-fender, comprising vertical parts detachably secured to the front of the car, a tending-frame hinged to the top of said verl tical parts, a lower tending-frame hinged to the lower parts of the lirst said fending-frame, braces hinged to the lower tending-frame and to the lower parts of said vertical parts said parts in side elevation forming approximately triangular figures, and adapted to collapse under the impact d ue to the falling body, and toothed or notched catches pivotallyconnected upon one ofthe tending-frames at the front and extending toward the back and thereat adapted to engage a cooperating catch to hold the fendingframes in collapsed positions, substantially as set forth.

4t. A car-fender comprising parts adapted to be stationed upon the car, tending-frames hinged to one another and to said stationed parts, braces hinged to said stationed paris and to the lower and forward end of the lower and forward tending-frame and a notched catch hinged or pivoted upon said tendingframes and extending and movable with the tending-frames backward to automatically engage a cooperating catch and hold the fending-frames in collapsed positions, substantially as set forth.

5. A car-fender comprising parts adapted to be removably stationed upon the car, fending-frames hinged to one another and to said stationed parts, braces hinged to said stationed parts and to the lower tending-frame and collapsing springs connecting the forward parts 01"' the lower tending-frame to the upper parts of the said stationed parts, said tending-frames, springs and connections being separable together from the car without change of relation to one another, substantially as set forth.

6. A car-fender comprising parts separable from the car and provided with means of attach ment thereto, said attaching means being adapted to station said separable parts, upon the car, tending-frames hinged to one another and to the upper parts of the stationed parts, braces hinged to said stationed parts and to the lower tending-frame, springs fastened ICO lIO

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at the opposite sides of the fender and connecting the upper parts of the separable stationed parts to the lower and forward end of the lower and forward fending-frame and automatic catches for holding the fendingframes in collapsed positions substantially as set forth.

'7. A car-fender comprising parts adapted to be pivotally stationed upon the car, fending-frames hinged to one another and to the upper part of the said stationed parts, braces hinged to said stationed parts and to the lower fending frame, means holding said hinged fending-frames in their normal positions and a lever adapted to be operated by the motorman and adapted to turnl said'fender pivotally to avoid contact with obstructions on the track or way of the car, substantially as set forth.

8. A car-fender comprising vertical side bars c, c, connecting-bars d, d, a frame f, hinged to the upper ends of said vertical side bars, a frame g, hinged to the first said frame, the two frames lying in alinement and at an inclination to said vertical bars c, o, braces i,

hinged to the lower part of said side bars and to the lower forward part of said frame g, and notched catchesfor automatically holding the frames in collapsed positions and a lever for raising the catches from holding engagement, substantially as set forth.

9. A car-fender comprising a frame c, d, adapted to be detachably applied to the front of a car, fending-frames f, g, hinged together and to said frame c, d, braces i, hinged to the frame cfd, and extending therefrom to the lower end of the frame g, to which said braces are hinged, the hinge movement of the braces being limited in the downward direction by stops c2, collapsing springs for raising the fore part of the fender, and notched catches for preventing return movement of the collapsed fore part, substantially as set forth.

10. A car-fender comprising a frame c, d, adapted to be detachably applied to the front of a car, normally-inclined fending-frames hinged upon the upper part of the frame c, d, and hinged to one another to collapse under the weight or pressure of the falling body, braces hinged to the frame c, d, and one of the fending-frames, and springs j, adapted to serve as side guards when the fending-fram es are in their collapsed positions and lying back from the hinge-joint at the connection of the kframes one with the other when thesaid parts are in normal position to hold the said fending-frames in their inclined positions, substantially as set forth.

11. A car-fender, comprising a frame c, d, normally-inclined fending-frames hinged to one another, the upper fendingframe being hinged to the frame c, d, and braces t', having a limited downward hinge movement u-pon the frame c, d, and hinged to the forward end of the fending-frame g, the forward fendying-frame at the front having a cushioned tripping or bumping edge, and a spring tending to hold the inclined fending-frames in their inclined positions, substantially7 as set forth.

12.'In combination with the inclined collapsible fending-frames, of springs arranged at opposite sides of said frames, and holding the same in normally-inclined positions, and adapted to serve as guards to prevent the person from falling laterally from the fender, substantially as set forth.

13. The improved fender in which is combined, with hangers r, adapted to be fixed to the car and provided with bolt-holes near the4 front and rear thereof, with adjustable bolts, or pins r4, r, adapted to be inserted in said hanger, bracket provided with an open slot and adapted to be adjustably supported on said bolts, and a collapsible fender removably supported on said bracket, substantially as set forth.

14. The improved fender in which is combined with the hangers r, adapted to be fastened to the car and provided with bolt-holes near the front and rear thereof, and with bolts or pins arranged in said holes and projecting from said hanger to provide bearings for a separable bracket, open-slotted brackets adapted to bear upon said pins or bolts and provide bearings for the fender, and said fender, separable from the brackets, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of November, 1899.

PETER BEST. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, RUSSELL M. EvERETT.

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